Hip Hop News
LL Cool J, Nicki Minaj & Jack Harlow To Host 2022 MTV VMAs
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Bernard Smalls / @PhotosByBeanz This year’s edition of the MTV Video Music Awards will be a truly unique one, as LL Cool J, Nicki Minaj, and Jack Harlow have been named as the emcees for the event. The network announced on Thursday (August 18th) that instead of one artist serving as the emcee for the night, they are calling on the Hip-Hop trio to do the honors which include introducing the major performing acts for the awards show. The move marks a return to the origins of the awards show for MTV, as comedic actors Dan Aykroyd and Bette Midler served as hosts for the first show that was held in 1984, and a group of MTV’s own VJs (“Downtown” Julie Brown, Mark Goodman, Alan Hunter, Martha Quinn, and Dweezil Zappa)took over the reins in 1986 and 19...
Nipsey Hussle Gets LA Metro Station Dedicated In His Honor
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Bernard Smalls / @PhotosByBeanz The city of Los Angeles is showing more love to its native son, Nipsey Hussle by announcing the dedication of one of its metro stations after him posthumously. According to reports, the city has dedicated the Hyde Park Metro station after the late rapper and entrepreneur. The ceremony was held last weekend at the station, which is located at the intersections of Crenshaw Boulevard and Slauson Avenue and 59th Street. This is in close proximity to Hussle’s Marathon Clothing Store, which was an inspirational staple of the community and where he tragically lost his life in March 2019. Related Stories Los Angeles City Councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson spoke about the rapper’s legacy at the dedication ceremony last Saturday (Aug...
Man Who A$AP Rocky Allegedly Shot Comes Forward, A$AP Relli Files Suit
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: David Wolff – Patrick / Getty The man who alleges that he was shot by A$AP Rocky last year has stepped forward to reveal that he is a former A$AP Mob member – and that he’s now filing a civil lawsuit against the rapper. According to reports, Terrell Ephron, aka A$AP Relli, has publicly spoken out to say that he was the man who A$AP Rocky allegedly shot last November in Los Angeles, California. The former A$AP Mob member and high school best friend of Rocky, aka Rakim Meyers, decided to go public by sending a statement to Rolling Stone with his lawyers Jamal Tooson and Brian Hurwitz announcing the lawsuit, claiming the incident caused “irreparable harm to his career in the entertainment industry”. In the statement, Relli claims that A$AP Rocky lured him to...
Kendrick Lamar Thanks Jay-Z For Clearing “Izzo” Sample For Free.99
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Jason Koerner / Getty The respect between Kendrick Lamar and Jay-Z is compelling, and people gathered at a show the rapper gave saw why as he expressed gratitude to the icon for his blessing on a sample for his latest album. The Compton, California rapper hit New York City on the latest stop for his Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers tour, performing at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Saturday night (August 6th). Later on that night, he appeared at the members-only Dumbo House venue to do an impromptu private performance consisting of a few select tracks. He arrived on the scene with his manager, Dave Free, Baby Keem, and the latest signee to his pgLang label, Tanna Leone. Among those in the intimate crowd checking him out doing a bare-bones set with a ...
Price Is Right: Jadakiss Says Verzuz Victory Helped Him Renegotiate Def Jam Deal
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Bernard Smalls / @PhotosByBeanz As the one-year anniversary of The Lox’s emphatic Verzuz win against Dipset has just passed, the standout performance by Jadakiss is still widely celebrated. The rapper cites that as a factor helping him in renegotiations with his record label. In a recent interview, the “We Gon’Make It” rapper spoke about the epic battle’s impact on his career thanks to the massive audience turnout. “My numbers went up for hostings and walkthroughs, for shows, and TV cameos. Just in general my numbers went up,” he said. “It also showed Def Jam that they got to do the right thing [and] restructure my contract. It really showed the world my true worth, what I can do.” According to the Alpha Data group, artists who appear on Verzuz see t...
Mystikal Arrested On Charges of Sexual Assault & Robbery, Allegedly
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Stephen J. Cohen / Getty The Grammy Award-nominated rapper Mystikal has run afoul of the law again and is now in police custody after being arrested on charges of alleged sexual assault over the weekend. According to reports, the New Orleans native was arrested on Sunday (July 31st) and booked into the Ascension Parish jail. The warrant detailed the charges, which include first-degree rape, simple robbery, domestic abuse battery, and false imprisonment, in addition to simple criminal damage to property. Mystikal, also known as Michael Tyler, was awaiting his arraignment. An arrest was made after deputies from the Sheriff’s office responded to a victim of sexual assault at a hospital in Baton Rouge. In documents filed in the case, the unidentified woman wa...
No Sense: Young Dolph Tribute Mural Defaced Before Unveiling
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Justin Ford / Getty An artistic tribute to the late rapper Young Dolph has been marred days before its official debut before the public, and the artist has stated they’ve been targeted as well. According to reports, the mural that was created to honor the late Memphis rap star was defaced by two unidentified men last Thursday (July 21st). The act was caught on a surveillance camera, which showed the two vandals wreck the progress the artist had made to that point on the piece. The mural was being painted at the same shopping center in South Memphis where Dolph shot the video for “100 Shots”. It was slated to be unveiled on Wednesday, July 27th, which would’ve been Young Dolph’s 37th birthday. Cameron Hill, the artist commissioned to create the mural, shar...
Macklemore Honors 2 Years of Sobriety After Pandemic Relapse
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Dia Dipasupil / Getty The fans of Grammy Award-winning rapper Macklemore were surprised to find out that the artist was marking almost two years of being sober after a relapse during the early part of the COVID-19 pandemic. The “Thrift Shop” rapper broke the news to the public on Sunday (July 24th) in a video he posted to the TikTok social media platform. He was smiling, appearing shirtless and baring his distinct chest tattoos. “I relapsed during the first summer of COVID,” he wrote in the clip’s caption. “Today I have 694 days clean. Love you guys ❤️” The video also highlighted his latest single, “Chant.” Macklemore encouraged others to share their journey with alcohol and substance abuse and recovery in the comments, and many obliged. One...
Lil Baby Rebuffs 4PF RICO Charge Rumors: “Only God Can Judge Me”
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Prince Williams / Radio One Digital As more RICO charges are expected to be filed by Atlanta, Georgia officials, Lil Baby is rumored to be next on the list. However, he appeared unfazed by the buzz when told by fans. According to reports, Fulton County District Attorney Fani T. Wills did confirm earlier in July that the city of Atlanta would see more high-profile RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) cases being brought before the summer ended. Wills said in an interview concerning gang indictments that she expects two more to be filed within the next two months. Related Stories The news had many immediately speculate online that Lil Baby was the next target. The 27-year-old rapper recently announced last Friday (July 21st) tha...
Joe Budden Claims Jay-Z Asked For $250K For “Pump It Up” Remix Verse
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Johnny Nunez / Getty Joe Budden shed a little light on the business of the rap industry in an interview, revealing that Jay-Z asked for a steep price tag to appear on his hit track when he was starting out. The media personality and rapper appeared on the latest episode of the Flip Da Script Podcast and spoke about his career, beginning with the success of his 2002 single “Pump It Up”. It garnered so much acclaim that Jay-Z released an unofficial freestyle remix which seemed to deliver a few shots at Budden himself. The New Jersey native revealed to hosts QueenzFlip and DJ Gmoney that he had asked the iconic MC to appear on the remix officially, and a member of his team got back to Budden and revealed his price – $250,000. ”I don’t think that was a big nu...
Omeretta The Great Chops It Up At Birthday Bash ATL
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Hot Spot ATL / HotSpotATL Omeretta The Great had the entire city of Atlanta, Georgia buzzing over her smash hit “Sorry Not Sorry” from earlier this year, and she took a little time to explain the reasoning behind it this past weekend. The rapper sat down for an interview with HOT 107.9 ATL before her set at the Birthday Bash ATL concert last Saturday (July 16th). She represented the city with an Atlanta Falcons jersey, although it was noted in fun by host Manni Supreme that it wasn’t a Michael Vick jersey. No time was wasted as Manni Supreme asked her directly about her thought process behind making “Sorry Not Sorry”, her single from February that wound up going viral and being the spark for debates about who truly was from Atlanta and what that enta...
Styles P Filmed Ripping Police Arresting Black Woman By His Juice Bar
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Erika Goldring / Getty Styles P has always kept it real on and off the stage, and a recent video provided another example as he responded to police making a rough arrest outside of his juice bar on Tuesday (July 12). In a video originally shared on the TikTok social media platform, the “Hit Different” rapper was on the scene outside of his Juices For Life establishment in Yonkers, New York assisting a woman who was being pinned to the ground by police officers. In the clip, the two cops appeared to slam the woman to the ground and handle her roughly as they informed her repeatedly that she was under arrest. The cause behind their actions was unclear. Another woman was filming, and Styles P joined her, at one point calling one officer trying to handcuff th...
